The Minnesota Vikings have left open the possibility that receiver Percy Harvin will be ready to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions. If that happens, however, Harvin is going to have to make a pretty quick recovery from an ankle he sprained during Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Coach Leslie Frazier said Harvin's status is day-to-day. But on Monday, Harvin entered the Vikings locker room on crutches. He told reporters that his left ankle is sprained in three places, seemingly making his availability a long shot.

We don't have to spend too much time assessing the significance of the Vikings playing a game without Harvin, who has caught more than twice as many passes (62) for almost twice as many yards (677) as the next-most prolific Vikings player. His 22 carries as a running back, meanwhile, are only 10 fewer than backup Toby Gerhart. They would face a major hurdle in moving the ball against the Lions or any other defense without him.

Despite a long list of ailments and illness in his career, Harvin has only missed three games in four seasons. Stay tuned.

It was a frustrating day for everyone involved with the Vikings offense.

Wide receiver Percy Harvin let that frustration boil over in the second quarter after a trip into the red zone for the Vikings ended with a field goal instead of a touchdown. Harvin, who was critical of the play calling in the passing game, gave coach Leslie Frazier a heaping earful on the sideline after the drive and declined to elaborate on what might have been said when asked about it after the game.

“I just want to score points. It’s frustrating not scoring,” Harvin said, via Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press. “I’m not going to talk about what the coach and I discussed. We had a conversation in the heat of the moment, trying to get things right. That’s all it was.”

Frazier also downplayed things after the game, saying that it came from Harvin’s desire to win. Such moments usually aren’t a big deal, but the same can’t be said of leg injuries to your best wide receiver. Harvin added a left ankle injury to his already aching right hamstring during Sunday’s game and it definitely seemed to affect his ability to play at full speed even if he remained in the game after getting hurt. Harvin said he was fine after the game.

“We’ll do further evaluations on Monday. Right now, it is just sore,” Harvin said.

Given how little the Vikings have done through the air with Harvin in the lineup, the prospect of running the offense without him gives rise to thoughts about feelings beyond frustration. Desperation comes to mind.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 30-20 loss to the over the Seattle Seahawks, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. I don't think you can objectively look at the Vikings offense, given their limited personnel at receiver and the clear problems they've had in pass protection, and blame quarterback Christian Ponder for everything that's happened recently. And I also agree with those who want to see the Vikings exhibit patience in developing a franchise quarterback. In the big picture, it usually requires tolerance of mistakes and sub-par play. With that said, however, the Vikings must be careful about how differently they treat Ponder relative to the rest of the roster. He hasn't just been unproductive recently. His yardage total of 63 on Sunday and 58 two weeks ago against the Arizona Cardinals are two of the three lowest totals in Vikings history for a quarterback who threw at least 17 passes in a game. Part of development is accountability. No NFL player should keep his job as a rule when playing at historically low levels. To me, that point is no less important that developing a starting quarterback if you're going to build a successful program.

2. Teammates have to buy into the development of a quarterback, and from the outside it appears that receiver Percy Harvin is struggling with that at the moment. His sideline fury, some of it directed at coach Leslie Frazier, was evident for all to see. Harvin is talented and skilled enough to have an entire offense built around him, as we saw earlier this season, but he's also impatient and emotional enough to let it knock him off his game. Was it a coincidence that Harvin's least productive game of the season -- two receptions for 10 yards -- came on the day he appeared most frustrated? No. More than most players, those two factors -- frustration and production -- are intertwined with Harvin.

3. My initial thought from afar was that the Vikings missed an opportunity to continue pounding tailback Adrian Peterson after his 144-yard first half. But after closer inspection of the play-by-play, I understand why that happened. The Vikings faced a manageable 20-17 deficit at halftime, but the Seahawks' early-down defense put the Vikings in positions where they had to throw the ball. Peterson lost a yard on each of his first two carries of the third quarter and also was stopped for no gain on another play. If anything, it shows how far the Vikings are from being able to succeed in passing situations. With Peterson limited, their only points of the second half were a 55-yard field goal by place-kicker Blair Walsh.

And here is one issue I don't get:Why can't the Vikings get the ball to tight end Kyle Rudolph? Sunday, Rudolph played all of the Vikings' 54 snaps on offense and was targeted only twice. Both passes fell incomplete. He has gone without a catch in two of the Vikings' past three games and had two receptions in the other. When the season began, most of us figured Rudolph would be a nice complement/primary target alongside Harvin. But he's suddenly invisible, despite missing only six snaps over those three games, and it's not clear why. You would think that a tight end with Rudolph's wingspan would provide a comfort zone for a sometimes-inaccurate quarterback who doesn't have much time in the pocket. I guess opposing defenses have realized the same thing. And maybe that's why the Vikings signed free agent John Carlson, who continues to be sidelined by a concussion. I'm not sure.

After the Vikings’ 30-20 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, wide receiver Percy Harvin didn’t make much of the ankle injury that briefly forced him out of the game.

Things are different on Monday. Harvin is on crutches and says that it is a “long shot” that he will be able to face the Lions in Week 10. Harvin said that his left ankle is sprained in three places and that he’s in a lot of pain as a result of the injury. With the Vikings having a week off after the Lions game, Harvin was asked if it made sense to rule himself out for this week and focus on returning in two weeks.

“Does it make sense? To me, no. But if that’s what has to happen, then that’s what has to happen,” Harvin said, via Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com. “I’m shooting to try to play and get everything I can. If I can’t, then I’ll have to rest it. But I’m not ruling myself out.”

It would not be good news for a sputtering passing offense if the Vikings do wind up ruling Harvin out. Christian Ponder threw for 63 yards against Seattle and that was only the second-lowest yardage total he’s put up in the last three games.

I like our chances next week. This team is improving and with Harvin out, we should have a great chance. Hope Delmas is back too.

Well yeah, I haven't seen a Lions loss in person yet!

I'll be at the game on Sunday with the girl who just bought a Calvin Johnson jersey!!

_________________

Follow me on Twitter: @W2G4U

November 6th, 2012, 12:30 pm

MobiusOne

Pop Warner Vet

Joined: March 1st, 2010, 1:45 amPosts: 111Location: Stillwater, OK

Re: Getting ready for: The Vikings

Lions2SB2 wrote:

kdsberman wrote:

I like our chances next week. This team is improving and with Harvin out, we should have a great chance. Hope Delmas is back too.

Well yeah, I haven't seen a Lions loss in person yet!

I'll be at the game on Sunday with the girl who just bought a Calvin Johnson jersey!!

Lucky, I've been the 3, one in 99 in the Silverdome and they lost to the Broncos on Christmas Eve I believe it was, 2 years ago in Dallas when they lost to Kitna : / and then this year I went to Nashville and watched them lose to the Titans...

I like our chances next week. This team is improving and with Harvin out, we should have a great chance. Hope Delmas is back too.

Well yeah, I haven't seen a Lions loss in person yet!

I'll be at the game on Sunday with the girl who just bought a Calvin Johnson jersey!!

Lucky, I've been the 3, one in 99 in the Silverdome and they lost to the Broncos on Christmas Eve I believe it was, 2 years ago in Dallas when they lost to Kitna : / and then this year I went to Nashville and watched them lose to the Titans...

I think I just got good luck with this because when the Red Wings play the Wild here in Minnesota, I haven't seen them lose either.

_________________

Follow me on Twitter: @W2G4U

November 6th, 2012, 3:37 pm

kdsberman

Team MVP

Joined: February 20th, 2007, 10:51 pmPosts: 3422Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Getting ready for: The Vikings

Lions2SB2 wrote:

kdsberman wrote:

I like our chances next week. This team is improving and with Harvin out, we should have a great chance. Hope Delmas is back too.

Well yeah, I haven't seen a Lions loss in person yet!

I'll be at the game on Sunday with the girl who just bought a Calvin Johnson jersey!!

Thats awesome. My girl just bought an Eli jersey. Why? I have no idea.

_________________2 Chronicles 10:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

I like our chances next week. This team is improving and with Harvin out, we should have a great chance. Hope Delmas is back too.

Well yeah, I haven't seen a Lions loss in person yet!

I'll be at the game on Sunday with the girl who just bought a Calvin Johnson jersey!!

Thats awesome. My girl just bought an Eli jersey. Why? I have no idea.

I actually didn't know she was getting one, she has an AP jersey so I figured she was going to wear that until she like I got a surprise and she went and put it on. Not going to complain by no means though.

It’s no surprise that wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice for the Vikings on Wednesday.

Harvin called himself a “long shot” to play in Week 10 as a result of the ankle injury that he suffered during last week’s loss to the Seahawks. Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is sounding more optimistic notes about Harvin’s chances of both returning to practice and playing against the Lions. He said Harvin is “making improvements” as the week moves along.

“Percy is doing better,” Frazier said, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com. “He won’t practice (Wednesday). We’ll take it day to day, see how he feels (Thursday).”

Harvin has 62 catches for 677 yards this season and he’s scored five touchdowns. The Vikings are getting Jarius Wright ready to fill a bigger role on the offense in the event that Harvin can’t play. Frazier also said that Jerome Simpson hasn’t returned to his old form since hurting his back earlier this season, so this isn’t really shaping up to be the weekend that the Vikings passing game snaps back to life.

Or, put another way, Adrian Peterson should probably plan on a busy day.

Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said the Detroit Lions team he’ll see Sunday at Mall of America Field is a world different than the one his team beat in September at Ford Field.

The Lions have won three of four since that game, and Frazier said they’re approaching games differently.

Their special teams are “much improved,” Frazier said today, and their coverage units don’t even resemble the ones that allowed two return touchdowns against the Vikings. And offensively, they’re leaning much more heavily on Mikel Leshoure and the run.

“They’re running the ball a lot better and more intentional; that’s probably the biggest difference,” Frazier said in a conference call with Detroit reporters. “They’ve always been able to throw the ball and throw it well. I think they’re leading the league in passing offense, but they’ve created some balance with their run game.”

The Lions ran for a season-high 149 yards in Sunday’s 31-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Leshoure had a career day with three touchdowns.

In September’s 20-13 loss to the Vikings, the Lions ran for a season-low 55 yards, and Leshoure was limited to just 13 carries (for 26 yards) by a sore groin.

“He’s running with authority,” Frazier said. “He’s really making people miss at times. He’s able to run through contact. He’s really given them something in the backfield. He’s an elusive runner with some power.”

One of the best run defenses in the NFL for the first month of the season, the Vikings have allowed more than 100 yards on the ground in each of their last four games, including 195 to the Seattle Seahawks last week.

“We haven’t been as gap-sound as we have been in the past, and we aren’t tackling as well as we need to tackle, so we’re trying to shore that up,” Frazier said. “The Lions have kind of hit their stride in the run game and are doing a good job of running the football.”

A few more highlights from Frazier’s conference call with Detroit reporters:

• On Vikings QB Christian Ponder’s struggles: “He’s off rhythm a little bit, and (we've) got to do a better job of getting open and protecting. And we’ve got to complete some balls, especially with all the eight- and nine-man fronts we’re getting from teams 'cause Adrian (Peterson) has really been playing so well for us.”

• On Peterson’s return from knee surgery: “I have been amazed. His performances throughout the season have just been incredible when you consider the surgery that he had and how difficult the rehab was. To come back and open the season against Jacksonville the way he did, and now it seems like he’s really hitting his stride. The game he had on Sunday was an incredible game, and it seems like he’s getting better, which we all hoped. But to say that I anticipated him playing so well throughout has just been incredible to watch."

• On wide receiver Percy Harvin’s status: “He twisted his ankle in the ballgame, and he’ll be day-to-day. He made a lot of progress yesterday, and we’re hoping, by the end of the week, that we’ll get him out and able to get him to move around a little bit.”

• On what the Vikings will do if he can’t play: “He is a unique talent. He does so many things for our offense; he’s leading the league in receptions right now. We give him the ball out of the backfield, we do so many things with him and his return ability. We’ll miss that as well. He’s a threat every time he touches the ball on the kickoff return. As far as replacing him, we’ll have other people out there who get an opportunity to play who wouldn’t ordinarily get those snaps, and they’ll do a good job for us. But there’s only one Percy Harvin.”

• On what it’s like having defensive end Jared Allen in the locker room: “Jared is a gregarious guy. He keeps everything pretty loose, and he’s a great player, as we all know. But he’s not a church mouse in the locker room. He keeps it lively, trust me. I’ll give you an example: We come in for Halloween, and he’s all dressed out in some '60s outfit, just typical Jared, just do something to break up the tension. He has his own unique personality, but it’s good. It keeps things on an even keel.”

Keys to this game? Pressure the shizzit out of Ponder and contain AP. As long as we do that and our offense plays like it has the last two weeks, we should be good to go home with a W

_________________If you think education is tough, try being stoopid.

November 7th, 2012, 9:38 pm

hamma77

Heisman Winner

Joined: December 8th, 2008, 3:16 pmPosts: 785

Re: Getting ready for: The Vikings

I've been surprised with Leshoure myself as well. He is much faster than I thought. I know he is no Best or anything but the dude is quick enough to get to the hole and when you see his 10 yard runs he gets where he is going really quick.

I'm tellin you though if we just had a lead fullback these 10 yard runs would be going 80 yards for TD. How many times this past sunday our backs get into the secondary before they get touched and have just that 1 safety to beat? If we had a fb clearing out the first tackler 10 yard runs = 30-80 yard runs.

November 8th, 2012, 9:22 am

kdsberman

Team MVP

Joined: February 20th, 2007, 10:51 pmPosts: 3422Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Getting ready for: The Vikings

I like how when LeShoure gets hit, he doesnt go down right away. Always fights for extra yards.